NUNEZ, Ga. (AP) - The timber industry in Georgia shows signs of improvement after a slump brought on by the collapsing housing market.
Forestry industry payrolls in the state peaked at nearly 68,000 jobs before the housing bubble collapsed during the Great Recession. When home construction trails off, so does the demand for timber.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (http://bit.ly/1231neo ) reports the number of jobs in the timber industry fell to 43,425 after the burst and has slowly risen.
But there are signs of improvement at the Interfor saw mill in Nunez, roughly 170 miles southeast of Atlanta.
The Vancouver, Canada-based Interfor plans to spend $1.8 million on a new kiln at the Nunez plant. It's also spending $2.8 million at another plant in Baxley and buying a plant in Thomaston.
